The Warrior King by Abigail Owen – a Review

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Description:
Meira Amon is the most reserved of the phoenixes, finding computers easier to deal with than people and their messy emotions. But she wants revenge against the Rotting King Pytheios for the murder of her parents just as much as her sisters. Offering herself as a queen for their ally, dragon shifter King Gorgon of the Black Clan, only makes sense. 

Just one problem… 

Samael Veles worked his lowborn ass off to become the fiercest warrior of the Black Clan. He has pledged his life to protect his king at all costs. Yet somehow, in the middle of war, he took one look at a woman in a reflection and gave up his heart. When that woman turns out to be the phoenix promised to mate his king and help bring peace to their kind, he has no choice but to accept it. 

Until her fire unexpectedly destroys the king after they’ve wed. Now Samael must choose between his loyalty to his clan and protecting the queen who might be his mate from his people’s wrath, one of which will unlock a destiny no one could have ever imagined…

Each book in the Inferno Rising series is STANDALONE:
* The Rogue King
* The Blood King
* The Warrior King

Review: 

The Warrior King by Abigail Owen is the 3rd book in her Inferno Rising series.

“Phoenixes were a prize sought by every creature. Particularly dragon shifters, whose right to rule as High King over all the clans was dictated by who mated a phoenix.”

Ok, I just need to tell you how excited I am to read this. 

I love this series, I love the spin-off series (Fire’s Edge) and I was very excited to hear Meira (sister to Skylar, Kasia and Angelika) would be next to get a story. We’ve had Skylar and Kaisa’s stories, just waiting to hear more about Angelika…..

Meira is happy her sisters are all mated. So it’s down to her to suck it up and mate with the Black Dragon King! Is she happy? No, not at all, but with the Rotting Red King Pytheios trying to overthrow and rule all dragon kind, she thinks it’s the best option…..

Samael is a warrior to the core, but to align the black dragon clan to the Gold clan didn’t seem like the best option. But he follows his King Gorgon loyalty, and his King has decided to thrown his weight behind the new Gold and Blue King’s, to overthrow the Red King. Only time would tell if it was the right decision….. 

These two were destined to be together, but neither will see that as the right option. Samael is sworn to protect the black dragon clan, but when he meets Meira, he has to hold his own dragon back! Of all the times to find the woman that could be his, he has to watch her mate with his king! And if that wasn’t bad enough, if the mating doesn’t work, Meira could die, or worse, the King! 

(For a true mating the male blows fire into his female, if it works she becomes a dragon, if not she’ll die in a ball of fire! But for a Phoenix, fire won’t kill her, but if she doesn’t accept him, then the male could die instead!) 

Fighting for what’s right is the common theme in these books, and it’s usually the woman that drags the realisation out of the dragon! 

Meira would rather be behind a computer than face her decision, but it’s what she needs to do to get the Black Clan to help her sisters defeat the Red Dragon. Her ability she thinks is useless (two of her sisters can teleport and have visions) Meira can only turn a mirror into a portal) but as the book proceeds, that ability comes in very handy. 

She knows Sam is her mate, but she’s promised her sisters and the Black Dragon King that a union between Phoenix and the black clan is what needs to be done to unite the clans together. She can’t back out…..And when the unthinkable happens and she has to flee, it’s Sam that takes care of her! 

As usual the action is at a break neck speed! The ongoing story is about right over might. So I’d advise you to read this book in order. You don’t need to read the spin off series (Fire’s Edge) as it only touches on this timeline. 

It’s great to see old characters from previous books. This story starts not long after the last book. It’s a rollercoaster of a ride, we barely have time to catch our breath, if it’s not dragons chasing Meira, then it’s plots unfolding, if it’s not emotional scenes, then it’s dragons fighting other dragons! I tell you, I was exhausted just reading it!! 

Really well written, descriptions came alive as the pages flowed through my mind! It takes no effort to conjure up the fight scenes, the blood, the noise and sheer terror of being attacked!! 

There isn’t a lot of sexy times in this book, they didn’t have time! ? But the emotions were felt, the anguish of unrequited love, the desperation and the sadness of loss! 

And I love the Hellhound that guards the sisters, he’s so fierce with everyone except the sisters. He acts like a puppy, that’s the size of a small elephant! And he brings a bit of light relief and hilarity. 

So if Meira is suppose to mate the Black Dragon King, but he’s not her mate. Where does Sam fit into this? Well he does, and really cleverly, but it does take time, patience and a few plot twists to get there! 

I have to admit, I didn’t see a few things coming in the plot. But it’s all really coming together. There has to be a showdown with the Red Dragon King soon. 

And with the last sister unmated! They will look to her to possibly unify the white dragon clan! But Angelika only has eyes for a certain dragon, and he’s in no shape to lead, love or even fly!!! 

Reviewed by Julie

Copy provided by Publisher